Archive for
December 18th, 2013

Lakers guard Jordan Farmar had an ultrasound test and was examined today by Dr. Luga Podesta of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic. Results show that there is progress in his torn left hamstring, which Farmar injured in the first half of the Lakers game against Portland on December 1, but that the injury is still not healed.

Farmar will be out at least another week, and his next evaluation is scheduled for December 24, at which time another update will be issued

Denver Nuggets forward Jordan Hamilton has been suspended one game without pay for throwing a punch and making contact with the shoulder of Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams, it was announced today by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

The incident, for which Hamilton was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected, occurred with 11:01 remaining in the fourth quarter of Denver’s 105-93 loss to the Thunder on Tuesday, Dec. 17, at Pepsi Center.

Hamilton will serve his suspension when the Nuggets visit the Phoenix Suns on Friday, Dec. 20, at US Airways Center.

Here’s the Sacramento Bee reporting on the city’s quest to build a new downtown arena:

Sacramento city officials will present their draft Environmental Impact Report on the proposed downtown arena to the public tonight. The forum will be held at 6 p.m. in the lobby of City Hall, 915 I St.

The report, released Monday, concluded that a new arena would not cause serious traffic impacts on downtown streets before and after events, partly due to the fact that 10 to 15 percent of fans are expected to travel to games and concerts by public transit and walking.

Entering Wednesday’s home game against Memphis, Mavericks foward Shawn Marion has attempted 62 three-pointers this season and made 21, a .339 percentage.

Following Wednesday morning’s shootaround at American Airlines Center, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle and Marion were the last people on the floor, with Marion practicing 3s and Carlisle shagging rebounds.

Why the sudden emphasis with Marion shooting treys? He attempted 73 all of last season. During Dallas’ championship season of 2010-2011, Marion attempted 33 threes and made five.

“I just believe in him,” Carlisle said. “I believe he can do it. I see the stretches in his career where he’s shot it well. I understand that a coach’s belief in a player goes a long way toward the player believing in himself.”

Here’s Michigan Live on the Detroit Pistons using Josh Smith the way everyone knows they should:

The Detroit Pistons might have found the perfect formula for Josh Smith.

Take fewer outside shots and instead look for more opportunities near the basket.

Pistons’ fans have been clamoring for that all season and the new approach has worked so far as Smith topped the 30-point barrier in back-to-back games against the top two teams in the NBA.

He scored 31 in Sunday’s overtime loss to Portland at The Palace before bagging 30 Monday in a 101-96 victory over the Indiana Pacers, who brought the NBA’s best record into the game and were unbeaten in their first 11 games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse running into the Pistons.

The Houston Rockets and Omer Asik will probably part ways soon. Here’s ESPN.com with a look at some trade scenarios:

The Houston Rockets, as they’ve been telling teams all month, remain on course to trade disgruntled big man Omer Asik by Thursday, according to sources close to the process.

Numerous teams consulted by ESPN.com in recent days have said they are convinced the Rockets will indeed go ahead with a trade headlined by Asik before their self-imposed deadline of Dec. 19, with sources saying Tuesday that the Boston Celtics are increasingly active in the Asik talks.

As a result, the Celtics now are widely regarded as the strongest rivals to the Philadelphia 76ers in terms of the likely destination for Asik, with many rival executives expecting the final form of a trade built around the 7-footer from Turkey to feature at least three teams.

Sources have described the Atlanta Hawks as Houston’s preferred trade partner because the Rockets came to the conclusion last month that, despite their attempts to placate Asik, they eventually would have to give in to the unhappy center’s long-running desire to be moved in the wake of Dwight Howard’s arrival in July. Yet it remains unclear, sources say, how interested Atlanta really is in parting with coveted forward Paul Millsap — who’s considered an ideal frontcourt complement to Howard — in exchange for Asik.

Here’s the Associated Press reporting on some upcoming good-will from Kobe Bryant, Bill Clinton and others:

Former President Bill Clinton and NBA star Kobe Bryant will lead a panel on kids and sports at a conference next month.

The roundtable discussion will open the Clinton Health Matters Initiative Conference on Jan. 13 in La Quinta, Calif. Topics will include barriers to access, coaching quality and safety.

“There’s so much to be gained, so much from health and fitness,” Bryant told The Associated Press on Monday in Atlanta, where his Los Angeles Lakers were playing the Hawks. “It’s a really important initiative for kids to understand that you’re not just getting the benefits of being healthy, you’re also understanding how to be great leaders, how to be unselfish, how to work within a group, competitive spirit.”